Piano chords · Pop heartbeat

How to play Les Feuilles Mortes on piano

Artist unknown

Tuning the piano…

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Learn Les Feuilles Mortes in 5 steps

The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.

1
Chords: Dm – Dm – Bbmaj7 – C
Les Feuilles Mortes sits in D minor: D is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Dm is D, F and A; Bbmaj7 is Bb, D, F and A; C is C, E and G. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
DmiDmiBbmaj7VImaj7CVII
- DmD · F · A
- Bbmaj7Bb · D · F · A
- CC · E · G
2
Left hand: Push and land
A push just before beat 3, then two calm landings. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4 (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in thousands of songs of the library.
Push and landRoot bass rhythm · PopLeft handEasy
3
Right hand: Bossa chords
Long-short, long-short, leaning ahead: soft Brazilian chords. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
Bossa chordsSyncopated chords · Bossa novaRight handEasy
4
Both hands at 77 BPM
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
5
Ending: Bb – C – Dm
The last chords are bVI – bVII – i, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCDm
- BbBb · D · F

What chords are in Les Feuilles Mortes?

The loop is Dm – Dm – Bbmaj7 – C (i – VImaj7 – VII – i) in D minor, and the song ends on Bb – C – Dm.

What key is Les Feuilles Mortes in?

D minor, at about 77 beats a minute in 4/4.

What does the left hand play in Les Feuilles Mortes?

Push and land: root bass · 1 · 2& · 3 · 4, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.

Is Les Feuilles Mortes easy to play on piano?

Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.

Can I hear the real melody of Les Feuilles Mortes?

Yes: "The part you know" plays the opening of the song from a score, with both hands.

Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.